Soumitra Sen's impeachment moves a step forward

The process to remove Calcutta High Court judge Justice Soumitra Sen on Friday moved a step forward with the Lok Sabha being informed about the passage of a motion in the Rajya Sabha to impeach him.

The process to remove Calcutta High Court judge Justice Soumitra Sen on Friday moved a step forward with the Lok Sabha being informed about the passage of a motion in the Rajya Sabha to impeach him.

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Lok Sabha Secretary General T K Viswanathan read out the message from the Upper House for presenting to the President the motion for removal of Justice Sen from office.

The motion is expected to be taken by the Lok Sabha on August 24 and 25.

Creating history, Rajya Sabha on August 18, 2011 overwhelmingly approved the motion against Justice Sen, who could become the country's first judge to be removed for misconduct.

After a seven-hour impeachment process marked by a brainstorming debate, 189 members of the 206 present in the
245-member Upper House voted in favour, recording well over 2/3rd majority required for such a move.

The impeachment, first time in the Rajya Sabha and second in Parliament's history, saw members of all parties, except
BSP, holding Sen guilty of misappropriating Rs 33.23 lakh in a 1983 case.